
The late jazz master was not only a deep harmonic genius but could twist your ear with rhythms too.
Intermediate
Intermediate
• Learn how to outline chord changes with motives.
• Develop a sense of “3-over-4” rhythms.
• Understand how to increase tension in your solos.
A quick online search will uncover an overwhelming amount of information about Martino’s amazing bebop lines, concepts such as the minor conversion technique, his “The Nature of Guitar” writings, and transcriptions of his solos. I decided to take a slightly different view for this lesson. Throughout his career, Pat used a wealth of exciting repetitive motives that was as much a part of his signature sound as other more melodic and harmonic devices. These motives intensified the drama in many of his solos, kept audiences on the edge of their seats (check out the cheering at the 3:04 mark after one such example during his “Oleo” solo on Live at Yoshi’s), and the repetitive and rhythmic nature of these ideas was the perfect complement to his monstrous eighth-note lines.
Oleo (Live From Yoshi's, Oakland, U.S.A./2001)
When studying the masters, I don’t like to just learn licks. I find great importance in examining the theory and mechanics behind each idea to understand the language and assimilate the concept. The first idea (Ex. 1) can be found in many of Martino’s solos (check out “Mr. P.C.” on Pat Martino Trio Young Guns (1968/1969), but I found it when transcribing his other-worldly “Just Friends” solo on El Hombre (1967). The C# is optional as Pat sometimes plays this note as part of the idea and sometimes it is omitted.
Ex. 1
Ex. 1 can be viewed as an Fmaj7(#5) arpeggio built on the root, but we could also consider it as a DmMaj9 arpeggio built on the b3, a Bmin9(b5) arpeggio built on the b5 and also a G13(#11) arpeggio built on the b7. If we dig deeper we discover that all of these arpeggios/chords are based out of the D melodic minor scale (D–E–F–G–A–B–C#). In fact, Ex. 1, played over G13(#11), comes from the 4th mode of D melodic minor. This mode is also referred to as G Lydian dominant or G Mixolydian #4 (Ex. 2).
Ex. 2
The motive works beautifully over G13(#11) as it outlines the upper extensions: 13, #11, 9, and b7. Knowing that this idea comes from D melodic minor, we can experiment with superimposing the idea of other harmony from this scale. It can be used over a variety of chords like DmMaj7, C#7 alt., Bm9(b5), and Fmaj7#5.
If we take this idea one step further, we can apply it to the most prominent progression in jazz, the IIm-V7-I. Ex. 3 show this idea over a slightly modified progression in C major. Here we are starting each phrase on a specific chord tone or extension. For the II chord, start on the 9, the V7 chord start on the #9 (or b3) and for the I chord start on the 7.
Ex. 3
With a few slight position shifts, we can use that same phrase over a II-V-I in C minor (Ex. 4). Similar to the above example, we start on the 11 of the II chord, the #9 of the V chord, and the 9 of the I chord.
Ex. 4
We can also practice this idea over a 12-bar blues. Ex. 5 shows one possibility when superimposing this idea over a Bb jazz-blues progression.
Ex. 5
Martino also uses a variation of this idea to create a 3-over-4 rhythmic pattern (Ex. 6). Here, we are taking a six-note pattern and playing it over an eighth-note line. The effect builds tension before repeating every three measures.
Ex. 6
That’s a lot of information to digest, but the time spent will be worth the effort as it is a great motive that you can incorporate into your playing rather quickly.
The next motive (Ex. 7) is based on an Em7 arpeggio (E–G–B–D) and is played during the “Strings” solo on his record, Strings (1967).
Ex. 7
Pat Martino - Strings!
I previously mentioned the rhythmic nature of Martino’s repetitive ideas. This motive illuminates his penchant for ideas that create a 3-over-4 feel. Coupled with repetition, this concept can generate loads of rhythmic intensity. As you will see, he employs this device often. Dig the super-hip rotation between Em7 and EmMaj7 arpeggios, marked by the alternating D and D# top pitches. He plays this idea over A7, but it creates a toggling effect between A7 and A7(#11) which is more harmonically interesting. Bonus: This idea can also be played over Em7.
Ex. 8 is a variation that comes from the “Sunny” solo on Live! (1972). The Am7 arpeggio works so well over this entire progression. This example is somewhat unique as these repetitive ideas generally don’t include space. The idea incorporates an eighth-note rest to create the 3-over-4 sound once again. The phrasing, which includes a pull-off at the top of the arpeggio, demonstrates how articulation can also generate interest.
Sunny (Live / New York, NY / 1972)
Ex. 8
Although the Gm7 arpeggio doesn’t necessarily “fit” chords such as Am7 and D7b9, the strength of the repetition makes it work. This is similar to the concept of a minor blues scale working over the entire 12-bar blues progression. The hammer-on articulation at the bottom of the arpeggio as well as the short, accented top not really makes this idea pop.
Ex. 9
Ex. 10 is another uber-hip idea taken from the “Strings” solo. This is a six-note repeating motive with the 3-over-4 rhythmic grouping. The b3 and b5 “blue notes” contribute heavily to the sound, and this motive works wonderfully over the A7 chord. I’m not sure about Pat’s picking motion, so I supplied what I feel is comfortable. The slide going from the C to C# creates a slippery feel.
Ex. 10
Ex. 11 (again from “Strings”) exemplifies one of the most effective repetitive patterns in his playing. It consists of a 3-note pattern based on the minor 3rd interval. I love the way Pat toggles between picking each note and hammering-on the bottom two notes. The top pitch (C) is the #9 of A7, exuding a bluesy flavor.
Ex. 11
In Ex. 12 Martino plays the identical pattern during “Strings” with the root (A) as the top pitch.
Ex. 12
Ex. 13 occurs during the “Just Friends” solo, and rather than 16th-notes, he employs triplets over a IIm7–V7–IIIm7–VI7 progression in the key of F.
Ex. 13
There’s a very similar pattern during the “Oleo” solo on Live at Yoshi’s (2001). Ex. 14 is based on the interval of a minor sixth giving it a more vertical spread. The previous examples repeated every three beats, but this one repeats every three measures. This is slick, as Martino is outlining the upper extensions—the 13 (A) and 11 (F)—to give some harmonic color. You could easily adjust to use the 5 (C) and b3 (Eb), which he actually shifts to during the solo.
Ex. 14
Martino would often use open strings against moving fretted notes. It’s kind of funny. I first learned this idea as a teenager from Iron Maiden’s “Wasted Years” and AC/DC’s “Thunderstruck.” Martino was doing this in the 1960s, so I’m confident his influence crossed genres!
Ex. 15 comes from his “Mac Tough” solo on Live at Yoshi’s. Again a three-note pattern is utilized to create rhythmic interest.
Ex. 15
The final motive (Ex. 16) is what I describe as a Chromatic Melodic Connector. This idea has no harmonic implications, meaning it works in any harmonic situation, and is literally just a way to get from point A to point B. This specific example is from the song “Lazy Bird” on East! (1968) and it consists of three notes with the intervallic structure of two whole steps. Notice the accents on every third note. This reinforces the 3-over-4 motive and creates rhythmic intensity. The ascending and descending nature of the idea also builds excitement.
Pat Martino - Lazy Bird
Ex. 16
There are many more examples not discussed in this article, however, I hope this sheds some inspiring light on the more rhythmic and motivic side of Pat Martino’s playing.
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Cool compression profile that yields blooming and nasty fuzz with fangs. Simple. Excellent value!
Not a ton of variation in the fuzz’s simple controls.
One big, bad, and very boss no-frills fuzz.
On the surface, fuzz is an almost barbarian concept—a nasty sound that’s easy to grasp in our imaginations. But contrast David Gilmour’s ultra-creamy Big Muff sounds with James Gurley’s free and visceral fuzz passages from Big Brother and the Holding Company’s Cheap Thrillsand you remember that two different fuzzes, in the hands of two different players, can speak very different languages. The latter artist concerns us here because Gurley did his work with a Jordan Boss Tone, which is the inspiration for the Ananashead Spirit Fuzz.
Ananashead’s Pedro Garcia has a knack for weirder 1960s fuzzes. HisMeteorite silicon Fuzzrite clone, for instance, is a knockout. This take on the two-transistor Boss Tone is equally thrilling, and genuinely idiosyncratic when it runs at full tilt. It exhibits tasty inherent compression, and transient notes ring out as pronounced and concise before blooming into full viciousness—a quality that shines when paired with neck-position humbuckers (and which probably made the original circuit appealing to Spirit’s Randy California, another 1960s Boss Tone devotee). That tone profile gives the Spirit Fuzz meatiness that stands out among ’60s-style two-transistor circuits, and the sense of mass, combined with the pedal’s intrinsic focus, makes it superb for tracking. The Spirit loves humbuckers, which coax real sweetness from the circuit. But it was just as happy to take a ride with a Jaguar bridge pickup and an old Fender Vibrolux with the reverb at 10. Sounds painful, right? On the contrary, it was one of the most haunting fuzz sounds I can remember playing.
A hyper-versatile algorithmic reverb with a new and groundbreaking Ensemble engine for generating orchestral-inspired pads is now available for your DAW.
Strymon Engineering has announced the release of the Cloudburst ambient reverb plugin. A direct code port of their award-winning hardware pedal of the same name, the Cloudburst plugin offers a vast library of reverb sounds and orchestral-inspired synth pads, all easily controlled by a simple and elegant user interface.Initially based around the Cloud algorithm from Strymon’s iconic BigSky, Cloudburst refactors the reverb at every position on the Decay knob, allowing it to be used not only for the other worldly dreamscapes that Cloud is known for, but also for hyper-authentic rooms and halls that complement any recording style or genre of music.Controlled by a single knob, the new Ensemble engine creates synthetic pads by analyzing 48frequency bands in the source audio and then generating corresponding upper harmonic partials of what it finds in each band. The result is harmonically rich and organic synth pads that closely follow the source audio, adding complexity and dimension to any sound it’s applied to.
Cloudburst Plugin Official Sound Samples | Strymon
“One of the fun things about using a plugin version of a hardware product you know very well isthe surprise and delight that come from using it differently in a session for the first time”, saidSean Halley, Strymon’s Head of Marketing and long-time recording professional. “The first timeI tried it on tracks I couldn’t wipe the grin off of my face - I put it on classical violins and guitars, drums, percussion and synths, and in every instance it could stay out of the way and remain infinitely professional, or it could change the genetic makeup of the sounds if I wanted it to.Even though the interface is very clean and simple, there is a virtual sonic universe in there to explore.” Gregg Stock, Strymon co-founder and analog circuit guru said “we couldn’t be happier with how it turned out. We’re hoping that being able to easily run multiple Cloudbursts in a session really changes what users feel is possible, sonically. We’re looking forward to hearing the music!”
The Cloudburst plugin is available now directly from Strymon and from dealers worldwide for $79 US.
From devastation to celebration, Lari Basilio comes out on top with her latest album, Redemption.
The Brazilian guitarist’s soaring new instrumental record chronicles her recent journey from tragedy to triumph.
“The journey of this album actually coincides with my motherhood journey,” says Lari Basilio, speaking about her newest release, Redemption. “When I started writing the songs, I had no idea that I was pregnant. It was always a dream of mine to become a mom.”
However, tragedy struck shortly after Basilio learned of her pregnancy. “A few weeks later, unfortunately, I had to deal with the miscarriage of my very first baby. It was actually one year ago,” recalls Basilio. “It was a very sad time. These songs kind of became the soundtrack for this period of my life. And everything that I lived—the emotions—ended up reflecting on my compositions. Basically, my day-to-day life ended up inspiring me to write my songs.”
The guitar proved to be therapeutic for Basilio. As she learned to cope with the loss, Basilio found solace in her 6-string. Many of the songs on Redemption like the title track, “New Chapter,” “Heartbeat,” and “Forever" have a nostalgic, reflective quality. “Music and the guitar are definitely a place of comfort for me. And I kept working and writing the songs and finishing the album,” she explains. While working on the record, Basilio was met with a surprise. “In the middle of the process, I found out that I was pregnant again! And at the end, we’re here. I’m about to release the new album, and I have my baby with me. It feels like my redemption moment, you know? Everything is summed up in this moment for me”
Basilio gave birth to her first child, Liam, just 20 days before our interview. The past few years leading up to this moment have marked other significant changes in Basilio’s life. Two years ago, she uprooted to Texas to live in a peaceful place where she could raise a family, after a six-year stint in Los Angeles that started in 2017. She had emigrated from São Paolo, Brazil, then to pursue her music career after gaining notoriety through her eponymous debut album and followup release, The Sound of My Room.
For her third album, 2019’s Far More, she recruited an ensemble of A-list session players like drummer Vinnie Colaiuta, bassist Nathan East, and keyboardist Greg Phillinganes. This album also featured Joe Satriani (whom she met after he invited her to be an instructor at his 2019 G4 Experience) as a guest on the track, “Glimpse of Light.” Continuing this trend, Redemption, Basilio’s fifth original release, features a return appearance by Colaiuta, in addition to bassists Leland Sklar and Sean Hurley (both of whom previously recorded on Basilio’s 2022 release, Your Love), and keyboardist Mari Jacintho.
“Everything that I lived—the emotions—ended up reflecting on my compositions.”
Redemption is Basilio’s fifth full-length of original instrumental music, and her third since moving to the United States in 2017.
Lari Basilio’s Gear
Guitars
- Ibanez LB1 Signature with Seymour Duncan Lari Basilio pickups
- Ibanez Prestige AZ24047
Amps
- Laney Lionheart L20T-212
- Laney Cub-Super 12
- Laney Cub-Supertop
- Laney Ironheart IRT-SLS
- Laney Black Country Customs Ironheart IRT60H
Effects
- JHS The Violet Lari Basilio Signature Distortion
- Laney Black Country Customs Secret Path Reverb
- Seymour Duncan Vise Grip Compressor
- GNI Music Delay
- TC Electronic Flashback Delay
Strings and Picks
- D’Addario Regular Light XL Nickel (.009–.046)
- Dunlop Standard Tortex Pick (1.0 mm and 1.14 mm)
While it can be intimidating to be in the studio with such legendary studio musicians, Basilio doesn’t really get nervous around them anymore. “I think I’m more relaxed now because we ended up becoming friends,” says Basilio who spent two days with them in Studio Two at EastWest Studios in Los Angeles, then finished the guitars and postproduction later. “But they never cease to amaze me. Every time I’m in the studio with them I’m absolutely blown away. Every time. So this doesn't change, because they’re amazing musicians—the way they put their emotions and their personality into the songs, into the performances, it’s just brilliant. I give them total freedom to put in their ideas and do anything they want, and they're always so polite, and they ask, ‘Oh, can I do that?’ Or, ‘I hope you don’t mind that I tried that.’ And I would sit there and you know, I just can’t believe that these guys are there playing my songs and we’re having these amazing moments and creating these memories together in the studio. There’s only one Vinnie. There’s only one Leland. I hope that maybe one day I’m gonna be able to do a concert with all of them together.”
Though Basilio maintains her public persona of guitar hero, she is also a lawyer. In fact, she comes from a family of lawyers. Her dad, husband, and two brothers are lawyers, and her mom graduated from law school, although she isn’t a practicing attorney.
Basilio at EastWest with her collaborators, from left to right: Leland Sklar, Vinnie Colaiuta, and Mari Jacintho.
Photo by Eduardo Orelha
Having a background in law, however, doesn’t mean Basilio strictly follows the rules on everything—least of all guitar. She sometimes employs an unorthodox fingerstyle technique where she keeps the pick tucked into her palm by using her right hand’s ring finger, while keeping the thumb, index, and middle finger free to pluck. Basilio says, “I think this is one of the things that came naturally. Every player has to try to find what is natural for them.”
This approach can be heard on tracks like “Seasons,” where Basilio plays percussively with her fingers. “I love playing fingerstyle. I play a lot both with a guitar pick and fingerstyle, and I kind of developed my own way to play fingerstyle out of the necessity of looking for new tones and new dynamics,” she explains. “And I love to incorporate it into my songs, to get those percussive sounds and lots of ghost notes. It’s so much fun.”
Redemption closes with the beautiful “Forever,” which showcases Basilio’s fingerstyle technique. The song also demonstrates her strong background in music theory, which she built thanks to the organ lessons she started at age four before her father, Jesonias, handed her a nylon-string acoustic guitar and showed her open C and D chords when she was around eight years old. “Forever” is Basilio’s first solo unaccompanied guitar recording, though she has performed that style many times in public over the years.
“This is something that I always did for my videos, for my YouTube channel, but I haven’t had a full song written that way,” Basilio explains. “I just sit down and try to play by myself, just me and my guitar. And I think it was about time for me to have a song written that way, and I’m happy I could do it for this album. It’s so much fun to try to develop it because at the end of the day, this songwriting process and style of composition is something that you develop by practicing. Some people might think that you don’t have to practice songwriting and composition, but I think it comes from practice as well.”
Flanked by her trusty Laney amps, Basilio wields her signature Ibanez LB1-BK.
Photo by Eduardo Orelha
YouTube It
Lari Basilio uses her unique fingerstyle approach to perform a delicate and ethereal unaccompanied intro to her composition “Running to the Other Side.” Once the band kicks in, she goes all out from precision picking to right-hand tapping to display her jaw-dropping chops.
Fall Headline Tour Scheduled to Kick Off October 31st with Special Guest Myles Kennedy GRAMMY® Award-nominated songwriter, vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, and producer Wolfgang Van Halen is back with the latest single from the band he masterminds, Mammoth.
Mammoth: The End (Official Video)
“The End” is an adrenaline-driven rocker that kicks off with a signature lead guitar riff that has become a fan-favorite element in Wolfgang’s music. The anthemic build of the intro gives way to the driving verse melody with each part carefully created and performed by Van Halen and his returning collaborator Michael “Elvis” Baskette. The chorus is driven by the unforgettable vocal melody as the message of “Take your hand in mine and watch the end with me.” The song is now available for pre-save via all digital service providers here.
“I’ve had the tapping idea on the intro for ‘The End’ since before Mammoth. I was able to fit it into this world. It’s still over-the-top and shreddy, but it’s also melodic and controlled. Overall, I was doing some different things on the record, and I knew this was going to be a big step. Once we finished ‘The End,’ it felt really special to me,” explains Wolfgang Van Halen.To coincide with the single release, Wolfgang and Mammoth have released a music video for “The End” that is one for the history books and something rarely seen in music videos anymore. Wolfgang teamed up with legendary director Robert Rodriguez to do a modern-day interpretation of Rodriguez’s 1996 hit film, From Dusk Till Dawn. The video tells the story of a rock band that is booked to play a show at a dive bar and given an ominous warning from the club owner portrayed by Danny Trejo. Mammoth decides they know better, and things quickly turn dire for the band before a surprising revelation during the final moments tie the complete video lore from the band together. Friends of Mammoth including Slash, Myles Kennedy and Wolfgang’s mother Valerie Bertinelli all show up throughout the short film. Horror effects icon Greg Nicotero offered his talents to the video to create zombies, werewolves and vampires that all bring a deadly end to the attendees of the show.
With a short run of May dates creating excitement for a Mammoth tour, the band is announcing a Fall headline run. The End Tourkicks off on October 31st and runs for 5 weeks before it wraps up on December 7th. The tour will make stops in Las Vegas, NV (November 1), Atlanta, GA (November 8), Montclair, NJ (November 14), Chicago, IL (November 26) and Tempe, AZ (December 6) to name a few. Longtime friend Myles Kennedy will be the special guest on the run. Tickets will be on sale starting May 5th via artist presale and on sale to the public on Friday, May 9th. More information on all tickets and VIP passes can be found at www.mammoth.band